escalatorshttp://www.wisebread.com/taxonomy/term/6887/all
en-USMore children hurt in Crocs-related accidents. http://www.wisebread.com/more-children-hurt-in-crocs-related-accidents
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<a href="/more-children-hurt-in-crocs-related-accidents" class="imagecache imagecache-250w imagecache-linked imagecache-250w_linked"><img src="http://wisebread.killeracesmedia.netdna-cdn.com/files/fruganomics/imagecache/250w/blog-images/DSC_6180.jpg" alt="Crocs injury" title="Crocs injury" class="imagecache imagecache-250w" width="250" height="167" /></a> </div>
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<p>Some of you may recall <a href="/crocs-bite-shoes-pose-danger-on-escalators">my recent article</a> on the inherent dangers of wearing Crocs on escalators. Well, the misery, pain and nasty injuries continue to happen. Since writing the article I have heard more horror stories, including one sent to us by Wisebread reader Dindin. His daughter’s foot was inside the mangled Croc pictured above, and she was lucky to come away from the accident in one piece. </p>
<p>With Dindin’s kind permission I am reprinting his letter to us, along with the pictures that accompanied it. Please, take the time to read it, the story is one that could easily happen to your child or a child you know.</p>
<blockquote><p><em>“Crocs are Unsafe for Riding Escalators! </em></p>
<p><em>This is not the first time an accident involving children, escalators and<br />rubber clogs has happened</em>.</p>
<p><img src="http://wisebread.killeracesmedia.netdna-cdn.com/files/fruganomics/u17/Untitled-1.jpg" alt="Andie injury" title="Andie injury" width="327" height="236" /></p></blockquote>
<blockquote><p><em>14,200 search results turned out when I typed &quot;crocs,escalator,injury&quot; on<br />Google. My three-year-old daughter&#39;s toe injury caused by her right Croc <br />getting caught in the side of an escalator is not an isolated case, and many<br />more injuries could follow unless substantial solutions are delivered at the<br />soonest possible time.</em></p>
<p><em>Parents, mall operators, and the company or companies behind the manufacture <br />and sale of Crocs footwear should act immediately to put an end to the<br />disturbing number of accidents involving Crocs and escalator mechanisms.</em></p>
<p><em>What happens is that the slip-resistant quality of the footwear, ironically <br />the same quality that ranks among its unique selling points, causes it to<br />adhere to the side of a moving escalator upon contact. Resulting injuries<br />have ranged from simple scratches to toes being actually ripped off. (I <br />found a collection of news stories on <a href="http://crocsaccidents.blogspot.com" title="http://crocsaccidents.blogspot.com">http://crocsaccidents.blogspot.com</a>.<br />That there is such a site should speak for the gravity of the situation.)</em></p>
<p><em>There is no point in raising arguments along the lines of escalators being <br />inherently dangerous for children, or of the possibility of similar<br />accidents with every other kind of footwear, or of parents being solely<br />responsible for the safety of their children when under their care. The fact <br />is that so many children have been hurt because the traction of their clogs<br />is unsuitable for escalators. This danger had come to our attention prior to<br />the accident involving my very own daughter, which is why we are always very <br />careful when making her ride the escalator with her Crocs on. She even<br />constantly recites the line &quot;stay on the center,&quot; as we always remind her to<br />do so. But it just took a millisecond for us to fall victim to an already <br />familiar mishap. Being careful just wasn&#39;t enough.</em></p>
<p><em>Parents, stop making your children wear Crocs in malls. Believe me when I<br />say that you can never be too careful when it comes to the nasty combination<br />of Crocs and escalators.</em></p>
<p><em>Mall operators, adopt more child-friendly measures. Post visible notices on<br />the dangers of wearing rubber clogs on escalators. Make known the presence<br />of emergency stop buttons. Make your security guards aware of the alarming <br />number of escalator accidents and train them to render urgent responses.<br />This is not just token advocacy; this actually makes good business sense.</em></p>
<p><em>To the company or companies manufacturing and selling Crocs, mark your <br />products accordingly. Indicate that they are not safe for riding escalators<br />because, really, they aren&#39;t. Stop saying that they are completely safe. You<br />owe this to the children who love your shoes. My daughter owns three pairs <br />of Crocs- a pair of Caymans, a pair of Athens and a pair of Mary Janes. That&#39;s<br />how she likes wearing those clogs. Even the first words that came out of her<br />mouth after her tiny scream of pain were, &quot;My Crocs! My Crocs!&quot;.</em> </p>
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<blockquote><p><img src="http://wisebread.killeracesmedia.netdna-cdn.com/files/fruganomics/u17/DSC_6173.jpg" alt="mangled croc" title="mangled croc" width="277" height="185" /></p>
<p><em>Andie is fine now. After the accident, which happened in Megamall at around<br />9pm of August 19, we rushed her to the Medical City where she got the proper<br />treatment for her wounds (no quick first aid response in the mall, we had to <br />run from building B to building A where we were parked. but that&#39;s another<br />issue), x-rays of both her feet, and a tetanus shot. All her toes are intact<br />and the wounds she got were merely superficial, thank God. With the way her <br />right foot bled and with the hideous torn and deformed state of her Crocs<br />right after the accident, we thought the injury would be much worse.</em> </p>
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<blockquote><p><img src="http://wisebread.killeracesmedia.netdna-cdn.com/files/fruganomics/u17/DSC_6184.jpg" alt="Andie injury 2" title="Andie injury 2" width="191" height="286" /></p>
<p><em>But will she ride the escalator again with as much self-confidence as she&#39;s <br />always had before the accident? We pray that she does. Trauma is not healed<br />with a simple wound dressing and tetanus shot.”</em></p>
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<p>The story was even covered on the news in the Philippines. You don&#39;t need to speak the language to get the clear message. </p>
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<p>It’s good to know that little Andie came out of it ok, although I suspect the psychological damage could be worse than the injury itself. But why are so many kids getting involved in accidents? I did a little digging of my own. </p>
<p>I typed in “Crocs” and “injury” and over 309,000 hits were returned. When I added “escalator” it was still almost 37,000 results. Is this acceptable? Not to me. However, when I replaced the word “Crocs” with “Sneaker” the results went up. So, does this mean all shoes pose a hazard on escalators? Well, use your common sense. Crocs have been on the market for just a fraction of the time that sneakers have, and yet the injuries with Crocs are snowballing. </p>
<p>What causes the injuries? Time after time the message I’m getting is that the very design of the Croc is magnifying the chance of an accident. As Dindin points out, the rubber material that the Croc is made of helps with traction, but it also grabs on to other materials (such as those of a moving escalator). And the loose-fitting, pliable quality of a Croc means it’s more likely to be sucked down the edge of the escalator.</p>
<p>Should Crocs be banned? For adults, no, of course not. I’ve heard many positive things about them, especially in the medical industry. And my dad swears by them for things like gardening. But the question of them being suitable for children outside of the home is definitely one for serious debate. And until we can figure out how to keep our children safe when they’re in a mall or other area involving escalators, I personally believe that you should keep your kids away from Crocs, at least when your children are outside of the safety of your home.</p>
<p>Andie is going to be fine, thankfully. But how much longer will it be before I’m writing a third article with a far more serious and tragic outcome? I hope it never happens.</p>
<p>Further reading.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.hogshaven.com/story/2007/8/24/162327/768">http://www.hogshaven.com/story/2007/8/24/162327/768</a> </p>
<p><a href="http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2007/09/03/hlsb0903.htm">http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2007/09/03/hlsb0903.htm</a> </p>
<p><a href="http://crocsaccidents.blogspot.com/">http://crocsaccidents.blogspot.com/</a> </p>
<br /><div id="custom_wisebread_footer"><div id="rss_tagline">This article is from <a href="http://www.wisebread.com/paul-michael">Paul Michael</a> of <a href="http://www.wisebread.com/more-children-hurt-in-crocs-related-accidents">Wise Bread</a>, an award-winning personal finance and <a href="http://www.wisebread.com/credit-cards">credit card comparison</a> website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:</div><div class="view view-similarterms view-id-similarterms view-display-id-block_2 view-dom-id-2">
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</div> </div><br/></br>Consumer AffairsalertCrocsdangerescalatorsinjuriesmallssafetyThu, 30 Aug 2007 23:19:10 +0000Paul Michael1064 at http://www.wisebread.comCrocs bite! Shoes pose danger on escalators. http://www.wisebread.com/crocs-bite-shoes-pose-danger-on-escalators
<p><img src="http://wisebread.killeracesmedia.netdna-cdn.com/files/fruganomics/wisebread_imce/badcroc.jpg" alt="bad croc" title="bad croc" width="359" height="359" /></p>
<p>How many of you think Crocs are just the best thing since sliced bread? I&#39;d have to put my hand up, too. But several news stories have broken in the last few days that say Crocs are a hazard on escalators and that several injuries have already led to malls and other public places banning Crocs. </p>
<p><a href="http://www.kpho.com/health/13696864/detail.html">News 5, in Pheonix, AZ, </a> has reported that children are having their Crocs shoes ripped off in escalators. This is most likely due to the design of the shoe, which fits loose for comfort and is made of a rubber-like material for support and grip. However, these benefits soon become a hazard on a fast-moving escalator. If the shoe gets too close to the edge, the rubber substance and loose fit provide perfect conditions for a shoe being pulled down into the machinery.</p>
<p>Doctors have always warned of escalator dangers, especially with children involved. The machinery is built to endure a lot, and may not stop if a child&#39;s foot is dragged into the mechanism. The Croc shoe could be an ideal way for that horrific eventually to become real.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.hfxnews.ca/index.cfm?sid=45313&amp;sc=89">The Daily News </a> in Canada also reports that signs warning of the dangers have started to appear in malls. Expect to see them in a mall near you soon. The soft sole of a Croc does not stand up well to escalators, like a harder-soled sneaker. If the Croc gets stuck in the side, it could very well pull down a child&#39;s foot in seconds.</p>
<p>After doing a little more digging, I discovered that this is not a new danger. <a href="http://abcnews.go.com/print?id=2530368">ABC </a> reported the story way back in 2005, along with the tale a little girl who&#39;s foot was sucked into the side of a moving escalator.Why am I, and you, only just hearing about this then? </p>
<p>A spokesperson for Crocs is standing behind the shoe, saying they are &quot;completely safe&quot; and that escalators have always been a danger. However, although I&#39;ll still be wearing my Crocs I now have serious doubts about letting my toddler daughter wear Crocs, especially near escalators. </p>
<p>It&#39;s also worth noting that flip-flops can pose a similar threat, so basically take extra care folks. Let&#39;s try and have a safe summer. </p>
<p><em>Main image by me. I thank you. </em></p>
<br /><div id="custom_wisebread_footer"><div id="rss_tagline">This article is from <a href="http://www.wisebread.com/paul-michael">Paul Michael</a> of <a href="http://www.wisebread.com/crocs-bite-shoes-pose-danger-on-escalators">Wise Bread</a>, an award-winning personal finance and <a href="http://www.wisebread.com/credit-cards">credit card comparison</a> website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:</div><div class="view view-similarterms view-id-similarterms view-display-id-block_2 view-dom-id-2">
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</div> </div><br/></br>Consumer AffairschildrenCrocsdangerescalatorshazardHealthkidsshoeswarningWed, 18 Jul 2007 03:48:00 +0000Paul Michael857 at http://www.wisebread.com